O BEAN. 



placed for a short time to soak, the water passed through the 

 thin film of coating of the Bean at the end of the gallery, and 

 soddened the powdery dust and rubbish within, and thus 

 choked the breathing-pores of the beetle lying within, and 

 killed it ; but it is open to doubt w4iether, if weather was 

 unfavourable for sowing when the Beans had been wetted, 

 they might not be harmed. 



The following observations by Mr. J. Fletcher, the Dominion 

 Entomologist of Canada, refer to methods which have been 

 found serviceable for preventing weevil attack to Peas or 

 Beans : — " When the supply of seed on hand will permit it, 

 it is better to keep the Beans over until the following year in 

 some close vessel. The beetles will emerge the first spring, 

 and die without injuring the Beans further. A similar plan 

 is that practised with the Pea Weevil, of keeping the seed 

 Peas shut up in a close vessel in a warm room during the 

 winter, when the weevils will emerge and die long before the 

 seed is wanted for sowing. The remarkable freedom of Peas 

 in Canada from the attacks of the Pea AVeevil, during the last 

 few years, is attributed by some to the care taken by seed 

 merchants to poison all weevils contained in seed Peas, by 

 subjecting them for some time, in large closed receptacles, to 

 the poisonous fumes of bisulphide of carbon,"* 



In some years Bruclms attack does a deal of mischief. In 

 1888 Mr. E. A. Fitch, of Maldon, Essex, reported to me that 

 in his "own case a most moderate computation of loss of 

 weight alone of 2s. per quarter would give ^£65 12s., i. c, 

 164 acresx4 quarters the acre x 2s. per quarter." 



Bean Beetles {BrucJd) of various species are found — some- 

 times in enormous quantities — in imported seed, and where 

 there is much Bean-growing round mills where Beans are 

 ground, it would be highly desirable some measures should be 

 taken to save us from the consequences of the vast numbers 

 sometimes to be found in such places. 



Dipping the Beans or Peas in boiling water for one minute 

 is stated to kill the grub inside without hurting the seed, but 

 as dipping for four minutes generally destroyed the germinat- 

 ing power the experiment is much too hazardous for general 

 use as regards seed, though it might be acted on with 

 advantage with regard to Beans or Peas about to be ground. 

 For farm use, however, the main point is to avoid purchase 

 of infested seed ; or if none but infested seed is available, in 

 such case to dress it before sowing ; and also as the harm 

 done to the seed takes effect in weakening the young plant in 



* See " Eeport of Entomologist and Botanist" p. 5(5; in 'Appendix to the 

 Eeport of the Minister of Agriculture on Experimental Farms ' (Her Majesty's 

 Printers, Ottawa, Canada 1889). 



